Gay man found dead on his 22nd birthday is South Africa’s 4th LGBTQ person killed in a month; Suspect, 17, arrested

A gay man in South Africa was found dead on Sunday in what’s believed to be the fourth LGBTQ killing in less than a month, according to local media reports.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance of South Africa said in a statement that Lonwabo Jack was on his way home from celebrating his 22nd birthday when he was raped and murdered in his Western Cape neighborhood.

The victim was “found with a stab wound to the chest,” according to police. He was later identified by a relative.

On Wednesday, the South African Police Service in Pretoria announced an arrest in connection with the crime.

“The dedication by members attached to Nyanga detectives led to the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect for the murder of 22-year-old Lonwabo Jack,” police said in a statement.

News about the brutal killing comes just weeks after at least three other openly gay men were tragic killed in South Africa.

Nathaniel Mbele was found dead on April 2. He was stabbed to death near the city of Vanderbijlpark, about 40 miles south of Johannesburg.

Earlier this month, the body of Andile “Lulu” Ntuthela, a 40-year-old gay man, was discovered in a shallow grave near his alleged killer’s front door in Eastern Cape, a province in the country’s southeast coast.

Just before that, the body of Sphamandla Khoza, 34, was found in a ditch near his home.

“He had been stabbed multiple times following an alcohol-induced attack apparently over his sexuality,” according to the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

The recent killings have outraged the country’s LGBTQ community, who are demanding Pres. Cyrill Ramaphosa to act.

On Friday, activists staged a demonstration urging lawmakers to fast-track an anti-hate bill.

“GLASA appeals to government to finalize the implementation of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill,” the group said.

They are urging officials to “fulfill their constitutional mandate, that is to promote awareness of the prohibition against hate crimes and hate speech before the situation gets out of control.”